New Beginnings and the End of Tears
by BelieveInSherlockHolmes
Summary: Emi Josephs is just an ordinary girl. Most would says she lives an exceptionally boring life but that is not the case; it never was. She carries with her a dark secret she would rather die than reveal, but when her co-worker Soo Lin Yao goes missing can her secret really stay hidden? Two men, looking for information, turn up at her door and she finds she has no choice but to help.
1. Chapter 1: Knowing

Hi! If you are reading this, that means that you're interested in what I've got to say! Brilliant!

Just thought I should greet you before we go into the story. I've wanted to do this for a long time and I though that it was about time I finally made the first step forwards.

I'd also like to add, I have a community page on Facebook called 'Watching Sherlock for the first time and knowing there's no going back'. My tag name is Mycroft because I don't feel like using my real name and if anyone is interested in becoming an admin with me please let me know as I'd love to have some help! I'm 15 so please bear that in mind. Like it for me folks if you she the time as it's not very popular:(

I hope you all like the story and thanks for reading!

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Chapter 1: Knowing

I sighed as I looked up at the clock on my right. Still 4.45. Wonderful.

I'm Emi Josephs. I loved my job at the museum, I really did. History was fascinating to me and I loved the projects that some of the staff took part in. Like now, Soo Lin was restoring an ancient tea set back to there former glory. And the general public could benefit from it too by seeing the history behind the beautiful artefacts and the hard work we do to keep them orderly.

But this morning, things had gone from bad to worse. Soo Lin left the museum and didn't return for work. The manager said that she'd resigned just like that, out of the blue. Some of the other employees didn't think much of it. Some even spoke badly of her.

However, I knew differently. I was friends with her; or as close as she would allow anyway. She doesn't like to talk with the other employees and she keeps to herself when she's working. Unless I'm with her. She doesn't talk animatedly with me, like a foolish teenager who knows nothing of the world, or even speak loudly. She was a quiet, well spoken and extremely considerate individual. I liked this about her. Not many people are like that in London anymore.

When I first tried to talk with her, she didn't speak much and replied only with one word answers if she could help it. She was obsessed with her work. You couldn't distract her whilst she was working on something. She put her all into everything. Everyone gave up on her, dismissing her as a bit of a recluse, and moved on without trying again. But I didn't. I wanted to make her happy. She loved her work, that much was clear, but I knew she wasn't happy. I wanted to change that.

Soo Lin clearly didn't know how to react to me; I was very persistent. I'm not much of a social butterfly either if I'm honest and do all I can to avoid most people. Night clubs, partying, drinking; my worst nightmare. I don't really fit in with society's masses. But there was something about her. Something she was hiding or something that she felt burdened by, but there was something different about her.

She said, much to my surprise, much the same to me. "You're different to the others." She spoke quietly. "You are kinder but your eyes tell of deep pain. You look at me... You look at me like you understand. You see something different. Another side. You have seen difficult times too haven't you?"

I had, at that point, stiffened. She sent me a soft smile. "It is all right," she had continued. "It is not my place to know. But I think that you and I are very similar. I like you. You can be trusted. Thank you."

We've worked with each other ever since. When she was entrusted with the care of the tea sets, she had worked diligently with them and had loved the work. They quickly became her obsession. She'd never left them for a single day.

Until now.

She had left the pots untreated. They needed urgent work as the clay was cracking and she knew this.

Something was wrong. I knew it was.

Which brings me back to the present. I got off work at 5 and the day had not moved more slowly. It had been a week and I was scared and concerned; I was going to find out what was wrong. I had to. Everyone else refused to believe me and it's about time things were taken into my own hands.

I walked over the reasonably quiet hall, only a few visitors in it now, and looked upon the pots in their display case. I sighed, seeing that they were not looking their best.

"Excuse me?"

I looked over my shoulder to see a relatively short man with light, blonde hair standing behind me a little anxiously, eyes flickering behind him every moment or so to the tall man behind him.

I forced a smile onto my face and stood up a little straighter. "Yes, how can I help you?" I asked politely.

The man looked a little awkward, clearly unused to talking to complete strangers. Either that or he was a little disarmed by my reaction. "Do you happen to have a missing curator among your staff by the name of name of Soo Lin Yao?"

My smile fell quickly, my heart thudding apprehensively. My cheerful facade broke immediately. "Have you heard from her?" I asked urgently, eyes beseeching. "It's not like her to abandon her work like this-"

"Isn't it?" the taller man asked with a slightly raised brow.

I looked away, suddenly feeling very scared. Why were they here? Had something happened to her?

"Who are you?" I asked, frowning. The tall man sighed. "We're with Scotland Yard. We help them investigate. Now pled; anything you can tells about her might be helpful." I smiled softly. "Can I at least know our names then?" I asked curiously.

At the dark haired man's silence, the smaller man held out his hand with a kind smile. "John Watson," he greeted. "And Sherlock Holmes. And you are...?"

"Emi Josephs," I replied with a shake of his hand. "On a professional level there's not a whole lot I can tell you. But I know it's important; I was going to look for her this afternoon after work. I've been worried about here you see." I sighed wearily. "She left three days ago, here at the museum on her late shift working on the very pieces you see before you. They needed urgent work and she loved the restoration processes, this being her particular area of expertise. You could say they were her obsession. But then she didn't turn up for work today. When I asked, they told me she'd just resigned. Just like that, leaving her work unfinished. Nobody else believed me when I said that it isn't like her. But I know something's wrong."

"How do you know it's not like her?" John inquired whilst Sherlock listened closely, interest piqued. I frowned. "She doesn't have any friends from what I can tell. None outside of work either. She's dedicated to her work here in museum. But when she first started here, I was the only one of the staff who stuck to her like glue. I wanted to know more about her, be friends; I can't describe it but there's something different about her. Something she's hiding-"

"You as well." Sherlock spoke suddenly, making John give him a sharp look. "You're hiding something too." I gave him a wary look.

"Sherlock," John spoke warningly. "Don't-"

"Something from your teenage years, towards your early twenties," he continued as if he had not heard John. "An incident? A series of them?" His eyes widened suddenly and he smiled slightly. "Oh... No... Somehow, this has got something to do with your family. You were around 15 I'm guessing, a couple of years older perhaps-"

"Stop," I spoke sharply. "Don't you dare go into t-that..." I took a deep breath and looked up again. "What else do you want to know?"

"What was the last thing that she did on her final afternoon?" John asked before Sherlock could speak. John clearly had a dislike for his partner's lack of sensitivity.

"She does a demonstration for the tourists, a traditional tea ceremony. So she would have packed up her things..." I halted suddenly, with a shake of my head. "Would you like me to take you there? It may be easier together information."

They quickly agreed and I led them to the archives and storage room. "She would have come right in here," I said, motioning to the shelves and shelves of artefacts that lined them. "But after that, we're not sure what she did..."

I trailed off when I noticed a statue at the end of the corridor. It had not been there yesterday night. My eyes widened as I saw the yellow spray paint that covered it.

"That wasn't there yesterday," I whispered, making John and Sherlock frown and face what I was looking at. "What on earth...?"

John ran a hand over his face as Sherlock moved closer to observe the statue. "What's going on?" I asked firmly, knowing that they we're hiding something from me.

John turned to me. "At a bank in central London, one of their top security rooms got broken into and symbols were painted on the walls. Much like this one," he said whilst nodding his head to the statue. "The man who had seen the picture clearly from his desk was murdered in his flat."

A hand raised slowly to my mouth, eyes wide with shock. "And another man," John continued just as gravely. "Brian Lukis has been murdered just recently only a few hours after seeing the same symbols. Both were inside locked room, several floors up, with no clear signs of forced entry."

I closed my eyes briefly before taking a deep breath and removing my hand. "So Soo Lin...?"

"Has odds against her yes," Sherlock spoke bluntly. "She isn't dead yet, that much is clear otherwise we would have found her body by now. We just need to find her before the cipher does." He turned on his heels and began walking down the same corridor they had come from originally. "Good day. We'll come back if we have any news."

John gave me a slightly apologetic look and followed. "Thank you for your help." he told me sincerely before he rounded the corner.

Standing alone in the corridor, the statue tall above me and looming, symbols standing out starkly and intimidatingly, I retreated closer to the wall and enclosed myself in my arms.

"I'll find you," I murmured. "I'll make sure of it. I won't give up on you."

* * *

And that's it! I hope you enjoyed the first instalment of 'A new beginning and the end of tears'. I certainly enjoyed writing it!

I'll try and update as often as I could. I'm a student so I've got a lot of revision going on and exams coming up so I've not got much free time as I'd like. But I'll do my best!

Thanks everyone,

-Mycroft xx


	2. Chapter 2: Threats

Hello again everyone! I've been overwhelmed by the number of people who have read my story! Thank you all so much for taking the time and I hope you liked it!

I'd also like to add once again that I have a Facebook Sherlock community page that I would like to get an admin for! I'm struggling a little on my own and I would really appreciate some help if you could.

Anyway, on with the story! Enjoy everyone!

Chapter 2: Threats

Returning home that night, I dropped my bag with a dull thud just inside the door. I walked wearily forwards before falling backwards on the sofa, eyes closed and arms and legs limp. I turned to the window, seeing nothing out of the window but darkness, I turned onto my back with a deep breath.

I was scared. I was scared for Soo Lin.

I should have gone with John and Sherlock earlier when they left! I could have helped, I...! I...

I shook my head slightly and turned over on the sofa. There was nothing i could have done. I would only have gotten in the way. I turned to face the vast expanse of space that was my apartment. But not for long. I wasn't keeping up with the rent. The landlord was going to give me a notice any day now and I would just have to accept it; there was nothing I could possibly do to pay him back. I would have to find help somewhere else.

I sighed and closed my eyes, snuggling into the soft pillow that it'd left from the night before; I might as well enjoy it whilst I was still here anyway. And I had to get my haircut, I thought as it fell annoyingly into my face. It was getting far too long.

My eyes snapped open when I heard a floorboard creak from behind me.

I sat up quickly and whirled around, but was stopped by a hand that clapped firmly over my mouth. I struggled in the strong, distinctly male, grip and cried out against his hand he wrapped his arm around my throat, tightly enough to be felt and painful but not enough to obstruct my breathing massively. I grunted in pain but stopped, shocked, when a gloved hand struck me in the cheek.

"Do not speak," a voice hissed from behind me. "Or I will kill you here. It would be just as easy."

I froze in place, my heart thudding rapidly; the voice was spoken in unpracticed English and I suspected it was Chinese.

"Who are you?" I rasped, grunting when he constricted his arm.

"It is not your concern," he spoke threateningly. "You know Soo Lin do you not?" When I nodded slowly he continued. "Where is she? You are only one I have ever seen her speak to. She trust you. Where is she hiding?"

I shook my head frantically, feeling my breath being cut off. "I don't know!" I gasped. "I don't know, she just left, I don't know where she is!"

"If you are lying to me you will not live to regret it!" he spoke ominously but I shook my head, feeling panicked tears risen my eyes. "I don't know!" I cried loudly. "Please!"

Suddenly, his grip relaxed and I breathed in deeply. "I believe you," he spoke quietly, his mouth close to my ear. "But if I find that you have told another of this incident, bad things will happen. Not just to you but to your family. Keep that in mind."

I nodded hastily, breathing in relief. But before I could speak again, I felt a sharp pain in my temple and everything went black.

* * *

I woke the following morning on the floor of my apartment, agony stabbing though my forehead. It was unlike any headache I'd ever felt in my life.

Everything ached; the struggle with the Chinese intruder had left many bruises in my arms and more prominently on my neck. It was too obvious to got out in public with. The one on my cheek was clearly swelled as well. They couldn't be hidden from curious gazes. I'd have to call in and say I as ill.

I stood up off of the floor slowly, hissing at the strain it put on my arms, and leaned back on the sofa. I looked at the ground where I was laid with a worried expression; there was a small trail of blood from where I had been sat. I needed to get that checked out; I didn't know where it had come from.

After phoning work, and getting shouted at by the head curator, I checked the clock; 12.35. No wonder he was angry. I was meant to have checked in for my shift nearly four hours ago.

I was just about it make my way to the bathroom when I heard a knock at the door. I felt minor panic shoot through me; how was I going to answer the door without attracting attention?!

"Hello?" I called out, voice quiet and croaky. I cleared my throat and tried again. "Hello? Who is it?"

"John and Sherlock," came the timid voice of the smaller mans voice. "May we come in? We have something important we need to speak to you about."

I sighed and my eyes darted around the room quickly for anything to cover my obvious injuries; not even a scarf. Shit.

"Can we do this another time?" I spoke croakily, deliberately this time. "I'm not feeling very well today."

"It can't wait," came Sherlock's smooth voice. "We have to speak with you privately."

I closed my eyes and prayed to god what I had in mind would work. "Just a minute!" I ran into the cupboard in my room and pulled out a high collared coat that I owned, one that covered my arms as well. I pulled my hair over the right side of my face and he'd that it would do.

"Coming!" I shouted to the door, pulling out my keys and opening it as quickly a I could. John stood with a gentle smile. "Hi Emi," he said, giving me a slightly non-plusher look at the jacket and hair. "Uh... Are you a bit cold?"

I smiled quickly. "My heatings not working properly," I lied. "And I'm feeling god awful anyway so the coat's keeping me warm." I stood to the side to allow them into the house and shut the door behind me, locking it again carefully.

"So what did you want to ask?" I inquired, crossing my arms across my stomach before cringing in pain and allowing them to stay by my sides. "Have you got anything on Soo Lin?"

Sherlock nodded. "Yes. She's alive."

I exhaled loudly in relief, a hand coming up to cover my chest. "Thank god, I was so worried. Where is she?"

Sherlock smirked. "She's clever," he admitted. "And a little bit reckless. She never left the museum. She's been hiding in the lower basements, we think, and at night she's only come out to work on the pots. Instead of only one pot shining, two were shining when we came back to see you."

I frowned. "Why did you come back to see me?"

John looked disgruntled. "Sherlock needed some advice about the type of spray paint and symbols the cipher is using," he explained, making Sherlock huff a little. "But the little bas- I mean graffiti artist only ended giving me an ASBO and telling us the name of it. He'd never seen the symbols before. That's why we've come to you."

I scratched the back of my neck. "Well I'll try," I spoke hesitantly. "But eastern Asia isn't my area of history."

Sherlock rolled his eyes and held of a phone with an image on it. "We found these symbols last night on a railway track. Can you tell what they are?"

I looked at the picture with narrowed eyes, making my head throb. My eyes roved over the sprayed images several times but it only served to frustrate me. "Soo Lin showed me this once," I murmured. "She had said 'Just in case'... I guess this is what she meant it for." I narrowed my eyes further. "But why...?"

I smoothed my fingers over my forehead slightly when the pain became too intense. "It's there somewhere," I muttered frustratedly. "I just can't-"

Suddenly, a memory came flashing back to me.

"Hang Zou," I whispered, making Sherlock's eyes narrow. "Soo Lin... It's a code. Each two pairs of numbers represent one word from a book."

John frowned. "How did you know that?" he asked incredulously.

I shook my head, leaning back into the wall. "She told me once that if she ever left, that 'a pair of ancient Hang Zou numbers would be my guide'. She merely said 'they use a book'. She never specified who 'they' meant, but refused to tell me when I asked." my eyes softened. "And this is why; she knew they would come for her."

Sherlock was in deep thought. "A book..." he murmured. "Not a rare book, too many operatives for that. A common one then. One that everyone would use..." he trailed off, looking at the floor beside the sofa. I followed his gaze and noticed, my heart sinking, the small pool of blood.

'Dammit!' I inwardly cursed. 'He's found out!'

He looked up to me slowly and I felt heat rise in my face. His eyes were filled with an emotion I couldn't decipher. "You've been attacked." he spoke quietly, making John's head snap to me.

I swallowed slightly; I really didn't need this right now...

"Take off the coat." he told me bluntly. "And move your hair."

I sighed and turned around, taking off the jacket and swiping my hair back. I heard John swear.

"Bloody hell," he spoke incredulously. "What happened?!"

For the first time, I turned and looked into the mirror across the room. I started in surprise; the whole right side of my face was a blotchy purple colour and a thick trail of dried blood was evident from my temple to my cheek. The dark bruises on my arms contrasted starkly against my pale skin.

I opened my mouth, about to tell them everything, before I remembered the man's warning. In the silence, Sherlock seemed to deduce what had happened. "You've been threatened." he spoke softly, moving closer and taking a closer look at the marks. "You're not allowed to say."

I nodded, eyes down at the floor in shame; I had wanted to help Soo Lin, and yet I could do NOTHING to he anyone. I'd only been a burden so far.

"I can't tell you what he said," I answered honestly. "But I can tell you it was nothing concerning the case; it was only about Soo Lin."

Sherlock nodded. "John can take a look at you," he said. "I need to look around your flat. He might have left something behind that I need."

I nodded absent-mindedly as John came over to me, guiding me over to the sofa and sitting me down. "Have you got any ice?" he asked gently with a kind smile, making me feel a little reassured. "I'll go get it-" I started.

"No no I'll get it," John intervened quickly. "In the freezer?" I nodded and he left to go get it. Although my flat was small, I still felt so alone with no one else in the room. And so vulnerable.

I sighed and laid back on the sofa, eyes closed. What a crazy, ridiculous week...

I opened my eyes slowly and gazed at the ceiling. I blinked.

And then I blinked again.

"No..." I felt panicked tears fill my eyes. "NO!" I screamed suddenly, feeling my breathing escalate dramatically. "JOHN! SHERLOCK!"

As I heard feet thunder across the hallway, I never took my eyes away from the ceiling. "Emi!" John shouted, both his and Sherlock's eyes wide with concern when he saw my shaking form sat up against the sofa. "What's wrong?!"

I raised a shaky hand to the ceiling above me. "It-It-It-" I choked. As they both looked up, their faces fell. "Oh god." John murmured, making his way over to me and embracing me in a tight hug which I clung onto.

Sherlock looked grim and pulled out his phone, lifting it up to snap a photo. "We've got to take a closer look at this. She's not safe now."

On the ceiling, glaring down at them, were yellow Hang Zou symbols.

* * *

Dun dun DUUUUUN! Emi's been targeted! What's going to happen now? Will they be able to save her? Next chapter will tell!:)

Hope you all enjoyed it! Thanks for reading it everyone, I can't tell you how happy it makes me!:D

Believe in Sherlock everybody! xx


	3. Chapter 3: Dying

Hello again everybody! I'm on a roll, updating these quickly for all you lovely readers!

Anyway, reminders again, I have a Sherlock Fan page on Facebook of which I would really love it if I could either have some likes or a partners that I could admin with. I would really really love it if someone would like to. I'm not limiting myself to one if more want to join great! PLEASE HELP MEEEE~!

I'd like to add I do not own anything in this story that looks familiar in the BBC Sherlock series. I do, however, own Emi and some lines that are not in the original series. Not to mention some random scenes.

Thanks for reading! Enjoy! x

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Chapter 3:

I huddled into John's chest, looking for any form of comfort I could gain from him. I was terrified. I couldn't quite process any thoughts other than the fact that two other people died only a few hours after seeing those same letters. Only one line was repeating itself in my head.

I'm going to die.

I'm going to die.

I'm going to die.

And there was nothing I could do about it. Nothing to defend myself with. Nobody to turn to.

No family.

I felt another sob bubble in my throat as I remembered.

"Shh," John hushed, clearly a little uncomfortable about how to deal with me. "It's all right, we're not going to let anything happen to you."

I felt myself shudder and I took a deep breath; I was stronger than this. I could help myself. I didn't need someone to cling onto. Crying and panicking would do nothing to save me from being killed by this... Man? Organisation? What even were they? But it had to be something bigger than one man...

I pulled away from John almost roughly and he blinked at me in surprise. I rubbed my eyes in a vain attempt to get rid of the tears and redness.

I breathed in deeply before looking up and looking directly into Sherlock's eyes. "What do I do?" I asked calmly. Sherlock looked taken aback.

"You're not safe here that much is certain," he confirmed. "He will be back and he will kill you by tonight latest if you remain here." I swallowed heavily.

"You have to come with us."

I looked up, feeling a little startled. "What?" I asked incredulously. Sherlock rolled his eyes patronisingly. "You. Coming with us. Problem?"

I stuttered. "Uh- no but why-?" Sherlock raised a brow. "Because that's where you are safest," he explained slowly, as if talking to a toddler. "With the people who are trying to catch your killer. We can stop them. You know the code and we know how to shoot a gun. As safe as can be wouldn't you say?"

I opened my mouth to retort, but I knew it would be pointless; not only would he make me go anyway, but he was right. Being with them would be the safest place for me to be.

I nodded. "Fine." I spoke shortly. "But whilst I appreciate that you're trying to help me, I can handle myself. Contrary to my what my minor meltdown may have told you, I'm not helpless." I walked over to the sofa, watched closely by the puzzled men.

I reached under the cushions and pulled out, much to their complete bewilderment, a Browning LA91.

I held out my hand to Sherlock. "I don't think I've properly introduced myself," I smirked devilishly. "Sergeant Emi Josephs. You might know my uncle, DI Greg Lestrade?"

* * *

The taxi drive back with Sherlock and John was particularly awkward. I could practically hear Sherlock's brain working; it seemed he still couldn't get his hugely inflated head around the bombshell I had dropped on him earlier. John was merely awkward because Sherlock was sat next to him.

I sighed. "Questions. I know you have them. Go ahead."

"How were you a police officer?" he demanded. "And a sergeant at that?"

I struggled to keep a straight face. "I love my uncle very much, have done ever since I was a little girl; I'd always admired him for being in the force and every since-" I paused. "...since an incident," I continued evasively. "I'd always wanted to be as cool and strong as him. I wanted to protect people." I shrugged. "The rest is history. Made sergeant and then I left. Nothing to do with the force really, just wanted to do something different. I'd always wanted to study history so that's where I went."

"And the gun?" John inquired. I smirked. "Old habits die hard," I admitted. "After working for the police for so many years I just didn't want to be unprotected. Just in case of an emergency."

Sherlock huffed. "How did I miss that?" he muttered. "There's always something."

"My turn," I started with a frown. "Where the hell are we going?" John looked at Sherlock too.

"The museum," he told us as if it were obvious. "Soo Lin is still there; we need to question her."

I started in surprise. "Seriously?" I shouted incredulously. "The cipher is probably looking for me as we speak and he is clearly after her as well; we're putting her in danger!"

Sherlock gave me a scathing look. "The sooner we find her, the sooner we can find out what book she was referring to. This will enable us to solve the case. The cipher hasn't found her yet so we will use this to our advantage."

I slumped back in the car seat, seething in anger, and spoke no more.

Upon arriving at the museum, showing the security guards my pass, I immediately took them down to the basement area.

"They're also restoration areas," I told them as we made out way down the steps. "I can't believe I didn't think of it before." We stood in front of the door and we all looked at the dull light that shone under the gap; we all shared a silent look.

We all slipped in as silently as we could and I felt a smile spread across my face as I saw the back of Soo Lin's head, hard at work Asia she had never left.

As Sherlock walked over to her, she dropped the pot she was working on in a mix of surprise and fear. "Don't want to drop that." I heard him reprimand lightly as he caught it effortlessly.

She looked behind Sherlock and here eyes relaxed as she saw me. "Emi!"

I grinned and ran over to her, catching her in a tight embrace that stunned her slightly. "I was so worried!" I told her, happy tears catching in the corner of my eyes. Slowly, and a little hesitantly, I saw her arms wrap around me in return. "I am sorry," she mumbled.

Suddenly she pulled back, eyes wide. "You saw the cipher," she murmured. "You know he is coming for me."

I smiled slightly. "For us." I told her, making her look at me inquiringly. She only just seemed to see the bruises. "What happened?" she asked worriedly.

I shrugged. "The cipher paid me a visit," I spoke nonchalantly. "Came asking about you; wasn't happy with the answer apparently." She held a hand to her mouth, eyes wide in horror. "I am so sorry," she spoke in a panicked voice. "Please forgive me-!"

I shook my head, taking a hold of he spare hand. "There's nothing to forgive," I spoke softly. "It wasn't your decision, nor was it your fault. Don't worry." I grinned. "But we've got to get together more often once this is over all right? We've got a lot to tell one another!" A content smile made it's way across Soo Lin's face. "I would like that very much." she said sincerely.

Suddenly, Sherlock's voice cut through the comfortable silence. "You've been clever to avoid him so far." he said.

"I had to finish, to finish this work." Soo Lin told him, as I sat down on a chair next to her. "It's only a matter of time, I know he will find me." I glanced at her out of the corner of my eye.

"Who is he?" I asked gently. "Have you met him before?"

"When I was a girl." she confirmed. "I recognised his...signature."

"The cipher." Sherlock murmured.

Soo Lin nodded. "Only he would do this. Zhi Zhu."

"The spider," Sherlock explained, at mine and John's blank looks.

Soo Lin untied her shoe, showing them a tattoo on her foot, a black flower. My eyes widened and I inhaled sharply.

"You know this symbol?" she spoke timidly, noticing my reaction. I nodded, eyes not leaving the tattoo. "That's the mark of the Tong," I spoke faintly. "...You were-?"

"A smuggler yes," she spoke guiltily. "Every foot soldier bears the mark, everyone who hauls for them." She blinked back tears.

"When I was fifteen my parents were dead," she told us with wide eyes, clearly trying to justify herself to us, not wanting us to think badly of here. "I had no livelihood, no way of surviving. I could only work for the bosses."

I patted here hand and she started in surprise whilst I gave her a reassuring smile; I didn't blame her. She had to know that. She smiled back hesitantly.

"Who were they?" Sherlock asked.

"They were called The Black Lotus. By the time I was sixteen, I was taking thousands of pounds worth of drugs across the border into Hong Kong. I managed to leave that life behind me, I came to England. They gave me a job here, everything was good. New life."

"And then they came looking for you." I spoke quietly. Soo Lin nodded.

"Yes, I had hoped that after five years, maybe they would have forgotten me. But they never really let you leave." She shook her head. "He came to my flat, he asked me to help him to track down something that was stolen. I refused to help."

"So you knew him well?" John asked. "When you were in China?"

She nodded sadly and for the first time I saw real, deep painful sorrow in her eyes. Agony and years of regret.

"Oh yes. He is my brother."

I froze, mouth open slightly in surprise. Her bother? How could any sibling be prepared to kill their own? And as Soo Lin was not old, it could only be an older brother... He was going to kill his little sister?

I had never heard anything so sick in my life.

"He has become their puppet," she spoke with a low voice. "In the power of the Black Lotus general. I turned my brother away. He said I had betrayed him. The next day I came to work and the cipher was waiting."

Sherlock flattened a photo out on the table, the code that John had explained they took at the railway.

"Can you decipher this?" Sherlock asked.

"All the smugglers know it. It is based on a book."

John nodded with a smile. "Emi remembered what you told her. She told us that it was both Hang Zou and based upon a common book."

Soo Lin looked to me with pride in her eyes. "I am happy you remembered what I said." she smiled. "It will make everything easier for you. The book-"

The lights went out and I felt Soo Lin stiffen beside me.

"He is here." She said, her fear evident. "He has found me."

Sherlock grabbed John and we all stood to our feet. "Keep her safe Emi," he spoke as quietly as possible. "We'll be back as soon as we can." And with those final words, he ran out of the room.

I turned to Soo Lin, voice hushed but firm. "We've got to move further back," I told her. "A more defendable position and somewhere that he can't see us."

She nodded, swallowing deeply. "I understand."

I pulled her to the back of the room and dragged us both behind some cabinets. "If I don't survive tonight," she spoke quietly. "I want to know that you have made my stay here very happy. You are the only person I have met so far that I would want to be a friend to me. So thank you."

I let out a humourless breath. "Don't speak like that," I told her softly. "you are not going to die. And neither am I." I was silent for a moment. "But I just want you to know that you are a wonderful person. I don't judge you for what you've done in the past; you did what you could. I hope I can know you better."

I turned to her and saw that she was wearing a wide, very happy smile. I smiled back.

Then we both heard the door open.

Soo Lin whimpered slightly and I pulled her closer to me, my eyes searching around the corner. He was stood facing the our end of the room, face shadowed and unreadable. I swallowed slightly as my throat constricted. He moved out of my line of sight and I inwardly cursed; his feet were so light that I couldn't hear him at all. I couldn't keep track of him if he wasn't in sight!

After a tense few moments, a shadow was suddenly cast across the space in front of me.

He was stood right next to our cabinet.

"Come out little sister." he spoke quietly.

I turned and looked at Soo Lin, seeing that she was in tears. 'Be brave.' I mouthed and she nodded slowly. With my friend behind me, we both stepped out from behind the cabinet. 'Come on Sherlock,' I inwardly urged. 'We need you!'

The spider was stood close to us but as we came out, he stood back and moved behind some of the tables. "You know what I must do." he spoke monotonously.

I glared. "There's no such thing as must," I spat. "You would kill your own sister? Your little sister that you had to care for when you were homeless? The only thing you cared for?"

His expression didn't change. "There's nothing I can do."

"Bullshit." I snarled.

He frowned. "Enough." he growled, something different colouring his tone.

He made his way forwards and pulled out a gun, holding it by the gun head and holding the end of it out like a weapon.

"Please," Soo Lin pleaded. "Please don't do this brother!"

His face became stonier. "Do not speak."

We backed away as he came closer. "Run," I told here quietly. "Get out of the way." She did so hesitantly, but not moving far enough to make the spider wary.

He came at me with the blunt of the gun and I held my arms out defensively. When he swung at me, I threw a punch at him which missed him by inches. He raised his knee up sharply, catching me unawares in the ribs. I grunted as they throbbed in pain. As the fight continued, I noticed that the number of blows between us was significantly different; he remained almost unscathed apart from a nasty bruise he had received in the jaw. Knowing that the battle was going nowhere, I made a decision.

I steeled myself and pushed my body forwards, trying to topple him forwards. He staggered back slightly, caught off guard and I rammed him into the table behind us.

He growled and with all his strength, shoved me away from him by the shoulders. I flew back, twisting and landing painfully away from him on my front, causing my whole upper body to scream in agony.

Stunned, I didn't see him approach me. I looked up and my eyes partially blocked by swelling skin widened when I saw the gun pointed at my head.

I started when I heard a cry of anger and out of the corner of my eyes saw Soo Lin holding a chair in both hands and swinging it down on her brother. "Don't touch her!" she yelled at him as he fell to the floor. He swiped her legs out from under her and she fell on her back in front of me. "Goodbye Soo Lin." I heard him say.

Before I could even react, he pulled the trigger of the gun.

I felt my eyes widen in horror as blood splattered across my face. I screamed as loudly as I could.

"NOOO!"

I struggled to my hands and knees and looked at her desperately; she was already gone. She had a bullet hole in her head.

"SOO LIN!"

I felt tears flooding down my face, no indication of stopping.

Suddenly a sharp kick to my face knocked me to the ground again and I cried out in pain, knocking over one of the desks as I went. But I hardly even noticed; the loss of Soo Lin was blinding every part of me. The spider hovered over me and pulled out a katana, it was shining in the low lighting if the room.

I could feel the bruises on my arms, legs and face with vengeance now, the pain increasing ten fold as I realised that all hope was lost. He lifted it up and slashed it down on me, cutting diagonally from my left chest to right hip.

I could only scream at the utter agony that quite literally sliced through me. I gasped as blood filled my lungs, coughing and choking as it escaped my throat and splattered my already blood soaked clothes. It wasn't a massively deep cut but I knew that my prospects were not looking good.

Not unless Sherlock and John came back NOW!

"Rot in hell with my sister!" he spat venomously, stamping on my chest. The pain made me cry out loudly, blood now beginning to pool around me.

The taste of blood was surrounding me completely, the metallic tang permeating all of my senses, the smell overwhelming my nose.

As I heard him walk out of the doorway, I opened my eyes painfully and all I could see on my side was the side of Soo Lin. I saw, even from the angle my head was at, the wide eyes of terrified horror and surprise, wide slightly ajar and some blood seeping from the corner of her mouth.

But even more visible was the black origami lotus flower rested artfully on the palm of her hand.

I took in a deep breath before coughing heavily again, more blood splattering the ground. I shivered.

I was alone, dying in agony, with the corpse of my closest friend lying next to me.

Suddenly, I heard voices shouting from outside. "Emi?! Soo Lin?!" I felt my eyes widen. "Sherlock," I croaked as loudly as I could. "John!" I breathed in relief as they both ran through the doorway, both sets of eyes widening at the sight.

"Oh god," John spoke hoarsely, rushing forwards. "Emi! Don't shut your eyes not even for a moment!"

I nodded before coughing violently and suddenly, my chest contracting and sending electricity up my spine. Blood continued to seep out of my mouth.

"Sherlock," John shouted over his shoulder. "Phone an ambulance now, she hasn't got much times!"

Sherlock already had his phone out.

"She's dead," I mumbled, making John look at me with a slack expression. "I couldn't do anything... She stopped him from shooting me. She attacked him..."

I let out a dry sob, tears now mixing with the blood.

"You have to calm down Emi," John told me seriously, eyes narrowed in concern whilst he tried to keep pressure on the wounds. "Your pulse is worryingly fast; your blood will flow more quickly if you keep it up. I'm sorry but you have to take care of yourself first now."

I nodded slightly, breathing as slowly and as deeply as I could without coughing. "Good," John soothed encouragingly. "That's really good Emi. The ambulance will be here soon."

I continued to breathe deeply but I felt my eyes becoming more blurry, vision becoming more gradually obscured by black dots.

"John..." I rasped. "Can'... See clearly..."

Suddenly, I saw Sherlock kneeling bedside me. "I'm sorry..." I mumbled. "I couldn'... Couldn' keep her safe..."

I heard a frustrated grunt. "Why do you care about others when you are in such a critical state yourself?" he demanded. "How could anything be more important than yourself?"

I smirked, letting out a humourless breath. "Because at the end of the day, friends are all you have... Greg can' follow me every step I take in life. Friends, however, are there when you just need to talk, when you need advice or a good cry... You can tell them how you really feel... They make you happy..." I coughed again.

"If you have no friends, people despise and hate you... Nobody misses you when you're gone. You're unwanted... Uncared for. That's not the person I want to be. I want to leave feeling like I've meant something to somebody, had some use. But friends... Becoming friends is a two way thing. You care for them and they become close to you. When they're gone... A small part of you breaks with them... Because they've become a part of you... Like Soo Lin..."

I suddenly took in a reflexive deep breath, oxygen becoming shorter and more difficult to take in. John's eyes narrowed in worry. "Shit," he swore as blood bubbled out of the corner of my lungs. "The lungs been punctured!"

I felt my eyelids becoming painfully heavy and I held them open desperately. "Don't close your eyes!" I heard Sherlock snap. I slowly shook my head, giving in. "Can't... I'm sorry..."

I closed my eyes, allowing a final small smile to show on my face.

"Goodbye..."

And everything went black.

* * *

Long chapter! Hope you all enjoyed that, sorry if some of you found it too graphic. If you think I should change the rating, let me know!

Right, so Soo Lin is dead! I'm sorry, I couldn't waver from the original storyline it allowed for too many opportunities! I love her character, as briefly as she was in the programme. Sorry I had to kill her off.

And what of Emi! She's in critical condition! Will she be scarred for life? Refuse to work with Sherlock again? Will she be fine? Will she DIE?!

Only next chapter will tell! Thanks everyone!

Believe in Sherlock guys! xx


	4. Chapter 4: Subconscious

Hey guys!

It's the holidays now for Britain so I should be able to upload these chapters more quickly!

Also I'm going to caution you all about this chapter; there is a flashback and I'm not sure if it's too graphic for the rating. Please review at the end if you think it should be changed.

I have nothing more to say for once, so I hope you enjoy this chapter!

* * *

Chapter 4: Subconscious

Pain.

That's all I could register at first.

I think I must have been so critical, so deep into my subconscious mind, that I could almost consciously begin to register the pain. It surrounded me, choked me in an unyielding iron grip, and refused to give me respite.

I could register the buzzing in my ears; it was like white noise. Something that's always there, but you could only hear if you took the time to listen. If I concentrated hard enough, I could hear things more clearly. At the start I really tried to. The occasional voices, the alarm of a heart monitor; I think I may have even heard John once or twice and Sherlock too.

But as time went on, an indeterminable amount of time as it was impossible to keep track, it became harder. The white noise around me, the bubble I seemed to be encased in, became quieter and eventually I lost all control of hearing the outside world.

It was funny really; if I looked down at myself (my spirit body perhaps?), I could see me exactly as I was this morning. I was sat cross legged in the ground and my long hair was flowing around my shoulders as usual. It was only the space around me that was an endless void, black and unending.

Suddenly, silence fell.

Nothing could be heard. Nothing could be felt; pain was no longer registered. No white noise, no sign of anything to tell me that I was coming back. Everything was still.

Then blinding light engulfed every part of my sight.

I held up an arm and shielded my pained eyes, looking forward as much as I dared. "Hello?" I spoke for the first time. I took a few steps forwards, making my way to the source.

But then all at once, I was falling.

It was an odd sensation, falling without an end point or destination; just falling. I screamed inside my own head, but no sound was made; it was like the world was on mute. I could no longer see light; only the darkness.

Then I collided with the ground.

My eyes snapped open and I breathed deeply, almost a gasp, making a horrible shuddering sound. Pain shot through me like a piercing knife. When I looked, I could see splotchy colours, shapes moving around in front of my eyes. I narrowed my squinting eyes, trying to focus, and then everything almost faded into visibility.

Stood around me immediately to my right and left were John and some other doctors. When I looked past them, I could see Sherlock who looked relieved, in his own way of course.

My eyes flickered back to John. "I'm alive..." I mumbled, my mouth stumbling and tongue feeling far too heavy too speak coherently; but it was clear what I had said.

"Yes," John said with a wide smile, clearly relieved and wiping perspiration from his brow. "Yes you are."

With those words, I felt my eyes droop shut again and sleep overtake me more viciously than I had ever felt it before.

* * *

When I felt my eyes flicker open again, I saw John and Sherlock huddled to the right of me, conversing with serious faces.

"Afternoon..." I mumbled, my lips feeling numb.

Both sets of eyes shot to me immediately. John ginned and leaned forwards more. "Emi! How are you feeling?"

I sighed. "Tired..." I admitted. "And I ache."

"You've been asleep for 5 days I don't think you have the right to feel tired." I head Sherlock drawl.

My head snapped up and I winced, trying to push myself up. "5 days?!" I croaked, my throat dry. "I've been asleep for 5-?!" I suddenly coughed violently, my throat tickling as it was so dry. "Water please...!" I managed to ask.

Sherlock stood up and retrieved the water glass from the side. Once I had drunk it, I only had one immediate question. "What happened?" I whispered.

Sherlock frowned. "After you became unconscious, the ambulance arrived not minutes later. We both insisted that we ride in the ambulance with you; we had to be sure you were all right." Sherlock then looked uncomfortable. "On the way to the hospital, your heart stopped as did your breathing. You died."

I felt my mouth open slightly and I nodded, remembering the flash of blinding light and the deadly silence. "I think I remember that," I told them faintly. "Up till then everything had been dark, I could feel pain and hear things... But then everything went quiet. I couldn't feel anything and it was like I was being blinded by light. I tried to see past it but it was like something was blocking me. But after a few minutes, I was falling. Falling back to consciousness I suppose," I told them with a slightly embarrassed tone. "Back to life; then I woke up and I remember seeing John and saying that I was alive."

Both looked a little awed by my story. "Unbelievable." Sherlock told me in fascination. John nodded slowly. "So it was like someone was saying-"

"-That it wasn't my time to go." I finished, smiling faintly. "Yes."

We sat in comfortable silence for a few seconds, before Sherlock spoke again. "Do you feel... Okay now?"

I felt my chest contract remembering Soo Lin but I nodded resolutely. "I'll miss her but I'll get over it. When I find that guy, I'll kick his ass all the way into prison or the afterlife. Whichever he would prefer."

They both avoided my eyes now, John looking uncomfortable. "What?" I questioned timidly, a little unnerved by their reaction. Sherlock looked up, eyes blank and unreadable. "It's all over," he said monotonously. "We cracked the code and we found out what they wanted. The brother is dead as is their leader Shan."

I blinked, surprise coursing through me. "Oh," I replied lamely. "So... What did I miss?"

John looked disgruntled. "Well," he frowned. "After we got back from the hospital we did everything we possibly could to find the right book that the code corresponded to. We literally didn't sleep. But the day after, I went out on a date with my girlfriend, which Sherlock," he emphasised with a slight glare. "Gave me tickets for. A Chinese acrobatics show, one night only."

I ran a hand over my face. "Oh no..." I groaned, seeing what was coming. Chinese acrobats; the connection was obvious.

"Yep," John said grimly. "I didn't realise that they were the smugglers and Sherlock crashed the date when I got there and was told that there were in fact three tickets in that name. Long story short, Sherlock was attacked when he was found snooping and they left quickly after being revealed."

I shook my head. "Why do I get the feeling that this story gets worse?" John smiled despite himself. "It does," he admitted. "Because when we got home, Sherlock went out for a while after we had a massive brainstorm. But whilst he was gone, someone came to the door and asked me if I knew where the 'treasure' was. I said no and he knocked me out. When I woke up, both me and Sarah were tied to chairs and they thought I knew where the 'treasure' was. They were actually after a jade on worth 9 million quid and thought that I was Sherlock."

I couldn't help snorting in amusement. "I know," John exclaimed. "I'm nothing like Sherlock! Anyway they threatened Sarah's life with a giant spear and Sherlock turned up. I knocked the spear off course whilst Sherlock untied her. The spear hit the brother and killed him and Shan fled. Authorities found her in a hotel room shot in the head the following day."

I whistled. "Well I missed a lot," I spoke sarcastically. "At least he's dead though, that bastard. Only regret I have is that I couldn't give him a sound enough beating to make up for mine."

I sighed, leaning back in my bed. "That blood will still be on the floor of my flat," I spoke in amusement. "The landlord won't be happy about that... And it'll be gathering dust..."

I suddenly flew up, eyes wide and panicked, ignoring the throbbing pain in my abdomen. "What's the date today?!" I asked urgently, making my two companions blink in surprise. "I think you should lay back Emi," John spoke uncertainly. "You'll strain your injuries!"

"What is the date?" I repeated stubbornly, eyes narrowed and demanding.

"The 4th," Sherlock supplied. "Why?"

I felt my face slacken and I leaned back in my bed with a weary sigh. John looked concerned and Sherlock looked contemplative.

"You're being evicted from your flat tomorrow," he said slowly, making John's head snap to his in shock. "You've got nowhere to go."

I looked up at him irritably. "Well done you've figured it out," I snapped. "Now unless you have something to say that could help me, I'd like to move on-"

"Move into the flat below us," Sherlock interrupted, making me stop abruptly.

"What?" I exclaimed, a little surprised but feeling hopeful. "What do you mean?" Sherlock sighed condescendingly. "You. Move. The flat below us. Could I be any clearer?"

I spluttered, unsure of what to say. "But the rent- you live in the centre of London- it's far too expensive to be paid for by one person-"

"Our landlady Mrs Hudson hasn't been able to sell the basement flat," Sherlock interrupted again. "She's told us that she's going to give it up for free to anyone who's willing to inquire as long as they renovate the interior; I think that's more than affordable no? And if you live so close you can assist with cases that we have on; I always liked to have another persons opinion."

I turned to John. "I'm taking the flat no matter what you say, but you seriously can't like the idea of another person joining you on cases?"

John raised a brow. "And why not?" he asked rhetorically. "You're a clever girl and ridiculously brave, not to mention a good friend; I see no problem. I'll ask again for Sherlock seeing as he's always so bloody cryptic; do you want to join us on our cases once you live in 221b?"

I opened and closed my mouth a few times, unable to believe my luck, before a slow but wide smile made its way onto my lips. "I'd love to," she spoke sincerely. "Thank you. Thank you so much!"

I could actually feel happy tears welling up in my eyes; since meeting these two men, extraordinary things kept happening to me. But they'd saved me. Saved me physically and now saved me from being on the streets; I'd never be able to thank them enough for that. Not only that, but they were returning something to my life that hadn't been there before as strongly; trust and friendship.

* * *

10 years ago...

A teenage girl arrived late home from a day out with her friends; her parents wouldn't be happy but it didn't happen often so it didn't really matter in here eyes. She was 15 now for crying out loud, they didn't need to smother her as much as they did now!

It was pouring with rain as Emi Joseph's walked down the path that led to her home; she lived on a scarcely populated estate that only held two other houses, but the size of said houses more than made up for it.

She opened the gate as quietly as she could; she had never liked how noisy and creaky the gate was and it only made the night and looming house above her more foreboding.

Walking swiftly to the front door, fumbling in her bag for the door keys as she did so, she smiled triumphantly as she managed to pull them out. "Gotcha." she murmured to herself, feeling pleased despite how stupid the reason was. As she turned the corner at the side of her house, she looked up and was ready to enter the key into the lock when she froze immediately.

The door was already halfway open.

Emi felt her eyes widen slightly, heart thudding loudly in her chest and took a slight step back. Her parents never left the door unlocked at this time of night, never mind open. As well as this, she suddenly noticed that the lights in the hallway were turned off.

The lights in the hallway were never turned off. Ever.

Her parents always left them on, because neither slept well. They would frequently go downstairs in the middle of the night to fetch a drink or check on her sister if she was awake. She still didn't sleep well at night. But now that she looked, the entire house was dark. None of the lights in the house were on.

Something was wrong.

Swallowing her fear, and ignoring her minds protests, she took a step into the hallway with a rapidly beating heart and shallow breaths.

She reached out a shaky hand for the light switch and jumped when they turned on; nothing and nobody was in the hallway. She tried to move her feet, but she was frozen to the ground, body paralysed with gripping fear. But then she saw something that nearly made made her heart stop.

Blood.

It was at the end of the hallway, past the stairs, only slightly visible on the outside carpet and on the tiled kitchen floors where the door was acutely open.

I felt my breaths coming much more frequently now, crippling fear stopping me from progressing further. 'Run!' her mind screamed. 'Just run! Get help from the neighbours, phone Greg, phone anyone just don't stay here!'

But I didn't do anything. I didn't move. I continued to stare with growing trepidation about what I might find on the other side of that closed door. And I knew it would be fruitless to run now; whoever was here would know that I knew now. They wouldn't let me go. They wouldn't let me get help. I would be signing my own death warrant.

With unsteady resolve, I took a step towards the door. Then another. Then another. I was getting closer. My feet were moving almost without permission now but I couldn't stop it.

I was stood directly in front of the door.

I took a deep breath and pushed opened the door forcefully, flicking the switch on as I practically ran into the room. My eyes widened at what I saw.

I screamed.

* * *

I awoke with a start and a cry of fear, cold sweat plastering my hair to my face and my pulse frighteningly fast. Even now, 10 years on... I could still remember everything that happened like it had only happened the day before.

My eyes flickered around the bedroom of 221C; I had moved in a few days ago after returning fully recovered from the hospital and I couldn't be happier. The basement flat was a little colder than upstairs but it was barely noticeable. I loved it. My own flat and it was free!

The landlady Mrs Hudson was wonderful. We'd both hit off immediately and I now viewed her as the estranged Aunt or Grandmother that I never got to meet. She was warm, kind and exactly what I had missed for the last ten years.

I turned over in my bed and looked at the alarm clock that John had very kindly supplied me with; 9.15pm.

I wasn't working at the gallery anymore. For one I didn't want to go back and two it just didn't seem right anymore. After experiencing the excitement of being in the force again, I'd decided that's where I wanted to be; after applying to be sergeant at Scotland Yard, Uncle Greg literally snapped my hand off. We'd worked together before and he wanted to work together again; that and it gave him the excuse to not have to work with Donovan ever again. That had made Sherlock laugh a little.

The applications were through and my assessment had been finished yesterday; I was a sergeant again. As I'd been in the force before and had been given significantly good reports from all my former work colleagues, they'd not given me any retraining. For that I was grateful; it would only have been tedious.

Sherlock had also been busy this week; a few days after I had woken up in the hospital, he had gone to Belarus to see a potential client. He had returned only a day later, claiming it was a simple domestic and hardly worth his time. Everything seemed to be boring to this man.

I stood from my bed and threw some random but matching items of clothing on myself before climbing the stairs to 221B. I knocked, deciding to be polite and wait for him to answer, before walking in.

Sherlock was fiddling with his violin, tuning up the strings, when he glanced up at me. "Emi, can I help?"

I shook my head, looking around. "Where's John?" I asked him distractedly; I wanted to talk to John about these dreams. He had had them when he returned from Afghanistan, he has said as much himself, and I wanted to know how he delt with them.

Sherlock rolled his eyes. "Just left to go to Sarah's," he told me shortly. "Where I'm sure he's been disallowed from sleeping in the same bed as her. Again."

I couldn't stop the laugh of amusement that made its way from my lips despite myself. "Don't be cruel," I reprimanded lightly. "Do you know when he'll be back?" Sherlock shook his head. "No," he told me quietly. "But something's been bothering you hasn't it?"

I felt a frown form on my face and I didn't reply.

He placed his Violin gently down on the sofa and walked towards me. "You've been having nightmares," he continued. "You went to bed early in the hopes that you'd get more sleep than if you went to bed later. Pale face and signs of perspiration where you've wiped it off with your jacket sleeve. Your hands even have light tremors; that's why you wanted to talk to John."

I nodded slowly and waled around him, closer to the windows. "Yes." I told him shortly. "But why do you always keep these curtains closed? We're in a more or less isolated street no ones going to be looking ." I yanked them open, looking curiously out into the streets below.

"Do you want to talk about it?" I heard him ask even more quietly.

I rounded on him, eyes curious. I walked a few steps closer to him. "You're being oddly agreeable and... Nice," I told him suspiciously. "What's-?"

I didn't say anymore as behind me an explosion lifted me off of my feet and sent me flying across the room. I grunted as I felt a piece of glass pierce my arm and the breath whoosh out of me as I hit the ground.

When I looked up again, nursing the small bump on my brow, I saw that Sherlock had been thrown backwards a little as well.

"Are you all right?" I asked him in concern, standing unsteadily to my feet. He also pulled himself to his feet.

"I'm fine you were closer," he spoke dismissively. "Are YOU all right?"

I nodded. "Just a small cut," I explained, motioning to my arm. "It's fine." I looked back at the window and frowned. "What on earth was that?"

Sherlock frowned. "Nothing good," he grumbled. "Can you give me a hand boarding up the windows?"

* * *

The following morning, after spending the majority of the night being bothered by police officers and boarding up the broken windows, I woke up on the sofa, Sherlock sat in the seat across from me once again fiddling with his violin.

"Morning," he greeted, making me start in surprise. I yawned and stretched. "Morning." I replied. Suddenly a rather tall professional looking man walked through the door. I turned from Sherlock in surprise.

"Sherlock," he greeted, disregarding me. "How are you?"

Sherlock frowned in displeasure. "I was fine," he scowled. "How's the diet going?"

The man ignored him. "I have a case you may be interested in; it is of national importance that you take a look at it."

"Am I a part of the furniture?" I interrupted peevishly, glaring at the man. "Or can you just not see me?" he turned to me with a look of slight surprise. I saw Sherlock smirk out of the corner of my eye.

"Apologies miss...?"

"Joseph's. Emi Joseph's."

"Miss Joseph's," he corrected. "Pleasure to meet you I'm sure." I nodded. "All the same to you Mr Holmes."

Sherlock turned to me curiously. "How did you know that he was my brother?" I rolled my eyes. "A few things," I told him with a sigh. "A couple of them being the similar facial features and childish sibling rivalry. I think that's quite enough for me to be getting on with."

Mycroft smiled slightly. "Very observant Miss Josephs." He turned back to Sherlock. "Will you take a look at it?"

Sherlock sniffed. "Maybe," he spoke dismissively, picking up his violin once again.

I shook my head and turned to the elder Holmes. "Would you like a drink? Water, tea, coffee?"

He inclined his head. "Tea if you will Miss Joseph's," he agreed. "White one sugar please." I nodded and walked into the kitchen. "Oh yeah, do you want one Sherlock?" I called over my shoulder.

"Black, sugars." he told me with a scowl; he did not appear to be pleased that I had asked his older brother for a drink. They must get on worse than I had originally thought...

Suddenly, we all heard feet thudding up the stairs. "Sherlock! Emi!" I heard John call as he ran through the door. "Are you all right?! I saw on the news-" He stopped short when he saw Mycroft.

"Good morning John," he greeted with an incline of his head. John blinked. "Hello Mycroft."

"We're fine John," I called through the kitchen, bringing in both cups of hot tea. "A couple of bumps and bruises but we're fine. Thanks for coming back so quickly."

"Gas leak apparently," Sherlock added.

John smiled. "Of course. But why is Mycroft here?"

Sherlock looked sour. "Case. Sorry Mycroft I have far too much on to even consider taking yours. Come back in a month or so when I'm not busy." Me and John exchanged a look; Sherlock had no cases on. This sibling rivalry must run deep if he won't take the case when he's bored.

"Never mind your usual trivia this is of National importance," Mycroft told him with a deep frown.

"I've answered your question Mycroft," Sherlock interrupted blithely. "Now do answer mine; how's the diet going?"

Mycroft frowned even more deeply. "Fine," he turned to me and John. "Maybe you two can get through to him."

"What?" John asked distractedly, observing the broken windows despairingly. I shook my head. "No chance he won't listen."

"I'm afraid my brother can be rather intransigent," Mycroft spoke regretfully. "And I can't possibly get away from the office for any length of time, particularly with the Korean elections so..."

We all looked at him as he trailed off. "Well," he continued with a smug smile. "You don't need to know about that do you?" He shrugged. "And besides a case like this requires," he pulled a face, as if the word were particularly distasteful. "Legwork."

I turned away from him and rolled my eyes. "Your eyes will stick like that if you do that too often Emi," Sherlock quipped, making John smirk in amusement for the first time since entering the room. "How was Sarah's John, how was the lilo?"

I sighed as Mycroft interrupted, looking at his phone as he did so. "Sofa Sherlock, it was the sofa." Sherlock looked John up and down again, said man looking distinctly uncomfortable, before looking back to his violin. "Oh yes of course."

"Leave him alone you two," I scolded, making them both look up at me with raised brows. "Stop deducing him it makes people uncomfortable you know."

John smiled weakly. "Thanks Emi," he looked back to the two brothers again. "How- Oh never mind."

Mycroft smiled tightly. "Sherlock's business seems to be booming since you three became," he paused, thinking of the word and making us all look at him with slight irritation. "Pals. What's he like to live with? Hellish I imagine."

Me and John smiled. "Well I'm never bored," John admitted. I nodded. "Same; I've got a new job too. Everything's looking up now I've moved in."

Mycroft continued to smile fakely. "Good. That's good isn't it..."

Just as Mycroft stood up, Sherlock pointed his violin bow at his brother, making Mycroft stay a safe distance away. I managed to stifle a giggle behind my hand. Said brother offered his file to Sherlock but he merely raised a brow.

Mycroft gritted his teeth slightly before turning to me and handing me the papers. "Andrew West," he started, making me a little astonished that he'd given them to me and not John. "Known as Westie to his friends. Civil servant, found dead on the tracks at Battersea station this morning with his head smashed in."

"Jumped in front of the train?" John asked whilst I was surveying the files; I noticed with curiosity that he had a fiancé. In the background, I couldn't help but notice Sherlock's intense gaze on me. "That would be the logical assumption," Mycroft admitted.

"But...?" I prompted. Mycroft raised a brow at me, tilting his head.

"But?" He repeated snobbishly. I gave him an irritated look; he was patronising me.

"Clearly you wouldn't be here if that all there was to it," I spoke evenly. I heard Sherlock chuckle behind me, waxing the strings of his violin bow.

"The MOD is working on a new missile defence system," he continued. "The Bruce parkington programme it's called. The plans for it were on a memory stick." I shook my head at the idiotic statement, as did John next to me as he came to have a look at the file. "That wasn't very clever."

Mycroft pursed his lips, a wry smile on his face. "It's not the only copy," he told us quietly. "But it is secret and it's missing."

"Top secret?" John asked, sounding a little patronising. Mycroft inclined his head. "Very. We think West must have taken the memory stick and we can't possibly risk it falling into the wrong hands." He turned to face his brother, who had been deliberately ignoring him all this time. "You've got to find those plans Sherlock; don't make me order you."

At that, I couldn't help snorting in laughter, catching the attention of everyone in the room; the very idea of anyone ordering Sherlock around was funny.

Sherlock settled the violin against his neck nonchalantly. "I'd like to see you try," he spoke quietly. Mycroft pulled what I could only describe as a very unpleasant expression. "Think it over," he replied just as quietly, before turning to me and John. He held out his hand for John to take, shaking his hand firmly before shaking my own hand.

"Goodbye John, Miss Jospehs." I smiled slightly. "Emi please, Mycroft."

He nodded, before leaning in towards me. "See you very soon," he practically whispered before pulling away and releasing my hand. I narrowed my eyes in confusion and John merely looked weary.

Suddenly, an awful screeching noise sounded in the room. I covered my ears, wincing at the sound and turned to see Sherlock playing violently on his violin, an slightly irritated look on his face. Mycroft took that as his cue to leave and immediately swept from the room, a frustrated look on his face.

Once I heard the door shut firmly downstairs, I collapsed into giggles. Sherlock had stopped playing as soon as Mycroft had left but I couldn't help but laugh. He looked at me incredulously. "What?"

I shook my head, still shaking slightly from the laughter, and wiped the tears from my eyes. "You and your brother act like children!" I exclaimed with another laugh. "It's sibling rivalry taken to the very extreme!"

Sherlock's eyes seemed to soften slightly and his eyes lit in amusement; John laughed before sobering slightly. "Why did you lie?" he asked curiously. "You've got nothing on. Not a single case, that's why the wall took a pounding. Why did you tell your bother you were busy?"

Before Sherlock could answer I cried out in surprise. "Are those bullet holes? In the wall?!" I looked on the table and my eyes darkened immediately. "Please don't tell me you used my gun," I growled. Sherlock smiled pleasantly. "Then I won't."

I growled, my face becoming dark. "My gun Sherlock! That gun is practically my baby! Go near it again and I'll shoot you with it!"

Sherlock looked a little unnerved by that comment, clearly unsure as to whether I was lying or not.

"But back to your question John," he continued a if I had said nothing. "Why shouldn't I say no?"

John raised his eyebrows and sat back in his chair a little. "Oh," he sighed. "Nice. This sibling rivalry Emi mentioned is now coming into play. Now we're getting somewhere.

Sherlock's phone rung loudly and he held it to his ear, his level of boredness becoming clear.

"Sherlock Holmes," he spoke smoothly. There was a short pause and then he lifted his head back slight. "Of course, how could I refuse?" He cut off the phone and turned to us both with barely concealed excitement. "Lestrade. I've been summoned, are you both coming?"

I stood up immediately, whilst John looked unsure. "Uh, if you want us too-"

"Of course, I'd be lost without my blogger and Sergeant."

* * *

Arriving at Scotland Yard, Lestrade was waiting for them. "You like the funny cases don't you?" he asked as he led us through. "The surprising ones."

"Obviously," Sherlock replied monotonously.

Lestrade let out a humourless breath as he led us into his office. "Well you'll love this. That explosion-"

"It was a gas leak wasn't it?" I asked nervously. I then noticed Donovan glaring at me and I smiled sweetly back making her sneer at me.

"No," Lestrade replied grimly.

"No?" Sherlock asked with a slight frown.

"Made to look like one." Sherlock narrowed his eyes. "What?" Lestrade looked at us all with a frown. "Hardly anything left of the place except a strong box; a very strong box and inside of it was this." He said, nodding his head to a piece of paper. It appeared to be a letter.

"You haven't opened it?" Sherlock asked. John gave him a look. "It's addressed to you isn't it?" Sherlock shook his head. "Not just me; it's addressed to Emi as well."

My head snapped up. "What?" I exclaimed distractedly as I joined Sherlock, looking carefully at the letter; it was addressed to 'Sherlock Holmes and Emi Josephs.'

"We've x-rayed it; it's not booby trapped." Sherlock's face didn't change. "How reassuring." he deadpanned, gently picking up the letter and holding it up to the lamp on the other sided of the room. He surveyed it analytically, noticing the way that his name was written.

"Nice stationary," he commented almost to himself. "Bohemian."

"What?" Lestrade asked from behind him, Sherlock rolled his eyes slightly. "Czech republic, no fingerprints?"

"None."

Whilst they continued to look at the letter, I carefully looked at the room we were in and the box that the letter had come in; there was nothing else in the box to show where the letter had come from.

I turned back to Sherlock when I noticed he had pulled out a sharp incision knife and was now cutting into the envelope. His face seems to slacken slightly as he pulled something out; a pink phone.

"That's the phone," John seemed only just able to stammer. "The pink lady's phone!"

"From a study in pink?" Lestrade asked curiously, trying to get a better look at the phone.

"Of course it's not the same phone," Sherlock scoffed. "Everything's brand new made to look like the original-" He suddenly whirled round. "A study in pink? You read his blog?"

"Of course I do," Lestrade answered unabashedly. "We all do. Do you really not know that the earth goes around the sun?"

We all turned when we heard Sally snicker slightly whilst she collected some papers. I frowned. "Shut up Sally," I growled. "Whilst he might not know about the solar system he does know about your affair with Anderson; I don't think you have much reason to laugh."

She scowled at me before leaving the room; I saw that all the men were smirking slightly. "Thank you Emi," Lestrade mumbled. "But please continue Sherlock."

"As I was saying it's not the same phone," he explained. "But someone's gone to a lot of effort to make it look like the same phone- how did you know that I'd found out about the affair?" he suddenly asked, turning to me with an exasperated look.

I stayed silent and Sherlock groaned. "Not you too!" I shrugged. "It's very well written!" I argued. "And I knew nothing about either of you so I looked you both up!" John looked a little bemused.

Sherlock turned to John with a straight face. "According to the entire of Scotland yard and this pink phone, your blog has a far wider readership than you thought."

He unlocked the home screen of the iPhone and opened up the phone icon, where it told us there was a new message.

"New message. Message one."

Five pips were heard; four short ones followed by one longer one.

"Well that's helpful," John grumbled. Lestrade mumbled in agreement.

"Hang on!" I exclaimed, quickly grabbing hold of the letter. "There's something else in here!"

Sherlock, John and Lestrade looked up in alarm as I pulled out a DVD. I felt my heart drop when I saw the front of it.

'For Emi, With Love x'

I narrowed my eyes and Lestrade looked angry. "What the hell is on there?"

"Only on way to find out," I spoke quietly as I walked over to his computer and carefully inserting the disc. We all gathered around the screen.

Suddenly, the screen became dark as words became visible on the screen.

'HELLO EMI,' it read. 'HOW ARE YOU? NOT QUITE WELL I WOULD IMAGINE AFTER BEING FORCEFULLY THROWN ACROSS THE ROOM AFTER THE APARTMENT BLOCK OPPOSITE YOU EXPLODED.'

I felt trepidation beginning to set into my spine and fear to swell in my chest; how did this person know me? What did they want? How did they know I'd been injured after the explosion? New words flickered across the screen and this time I froze completely, my eyes wide in horror.

'BUT YOU KNOW ALL ABOUT TRAUMA DON'T YOU? YOU NEVER SAW IT COMING WHEN YOU GOT HOME LATE THAT NIGHT DID YOU?'

This time Lestrade growled. "How on earth does this bastard know about that?" Sherlock looked at me with slightly narrowed but curious eyes. John looked a little worried. He clicked the eject button but the DVD wouldn't pop out. "Why won't it work?" he spoke frustratedly, trying again several times and even moving the mouse around; nothing came up.

'I'M SURE THE DETAILS HAVE BECOME A LITTLE FUZZY AND... LACKING DETAIL AFTER WORKING NON STOP WITH SHERLOCK HOLMES FOR THIS LONG. JOHN FORGOT TOO.'

We all stood in silence, dreading the next words of the DVD.

'DO YOU NEED REMINDING?'

I spoke so suddenly, that I managed to shock the three men watching the screen with me. "Turn it off." I spoke with a shaky voice. Momentarily stunned, they did nothing until the video screen changed to a homemade video.

The video started in darkness until light flooded the room from an outside source; the door opened and a smallish figure ran in and switched the light on, breathing deeply.

The blood on the ground and two bodies in the centre of the floor were startlingly obvious against the white tiles of the kitchen.

A scream tore from the teenage girls' throat and it was then that Sherlock and John noticed it was me. John closed his eyes with gritted teeth and even Sherlock looked sickened.

The adult Emi's eyes were closed tightly, her lips also tight and she was shaking slightly.

The girl in the video was beginning to hyperventilate and her knees gave out, eyes never leaving the two bodies of here dead parents. She heaved, emptying her stomach onto the floor beside her as she cried uncontrollably.

Suddenly, the camera perspective moved to the top of the wall behind where her parents were laid, giving a view of the space behind the previous camera and me.

As well as the dark, hooded figure who stood against the wall.

Sherlock and John tensed as the figure moved forwards and away from the wall, moving quietly towards Emi. Lestrade couldn't believe what he was seeing; he had been the major police investigator on the scene after it had happened but Emi had never told him properly what had occurred that night.

"Mum..." the I heard myself whimper, bringing back memories of the real event. "Dad...!" I had been shaking uncontrollably and sobbing desperately. I opened my eyes and watched the screen with a heavy heart, knowing what was going to happen next.

The teenage me gasped in shock horror as she was grabbed from behind by the hooded figure, an arm around her neck and squeezing painfully tightly. He pulled out a chair from the kitchen table next to me and sat me roughly down on it, tying my arms and hands behind my back.

He walked into the next room and pulled out somebody; a young girl.

My sister.

At this point, I felt tears beginning to pour down my shuddering cheeks, feeling the same horror of that night being relived all at once. Lestrade's face had gone a muggy grey colour. John had a hand over his mouth looking white as a ghost and Sherlock watched the screen intently.

My younger self shouted in protest. "Leave her! She's done nothing to you! Leave her! LEAVE HER!" But nothing would deter the man. He pulled a gun from his pocket and fiddled with it contemplatively. I saw myself freeze. "Stop," I murmured. "Don't. Please. PLEASE!"

The hooded figure merely tilted his head in my direction but he said nothing. He lifted the gun to point at my sister. "NO!" I yelled, pleading and struggling in my chair. "Please! I'll do anything! Kill me! KILL ME!

"Emi..." Lestrade murmured. "She was alive when...?" he trailed off, lost for the words. I shut my eyes tightly, knowing what was going to happen. Seeing it once was enough.

Bang.

I shuddered and a dry sob ripped through my chest as the memory rung in my eyes. My teenage self cried and yelled but it did nothing to muffle the sound of my sister hit the ground with a sickening thud.

"Please turn it off," I whispered, catching everyone's attention. "Turn it off at the switch, pull the plug. Anything. PLEASE."

Sherlock, for once, was the first to react. He moved swiftly and violently pulled the plug from the back off the computer. But much to all of our astonishment, the video continued to play on the screen. "Whoever sent the video has coded the computer to continue playing the clip," John spoke in shaky voice. "It's not going to stop until its finished.

I closed my eyes, putting both hands over my face.

The figure whirled around and turned on me then, pulling me from the chair and throwing me to the ground and beating me and punching me till I couldn't even bring myself to cry out in pain. Lestrade had turned an even paler colour.

Suddenly, it seemed the tables had turned. I swiped the persons feet out from under them and they fell to the ground and hit their head. In the deadly silence, I had whimpered slightly before pulling myself to my feet and just standing there with tears running down my cheeks.

But before I could even react, the person on the ground had stood up and pulled the gun from beside him and aimed it at me. He shot the gun and it went straight through my leg, making my feet buckle and collapse.

Said person leaned down and while his lips moved, no sound could be heard on the camera. "Whoever that was has muted it at that moment so we can't identify whoever it was," Sherlock spoke with a low voice, light anger colouring his tone. "They're too damn clever. I can't get anything from the video."

The figure stood up straight and walked straight out of the door.

There was silence once again before my tiny voice could be heard. "Help me..." This time I turned away from the video completely, hating to hear myself sounding so broken. "Someone... Save me…"

The image of my dead family and my crumpled form lingered only a moment before flashing off like a light bulb.

I felt my legs wobble and give, making me fall back, but Uncle Greg caught me from behind and gently lowered us both to kneel on the floor as he embraced me tightly. "It's all right," he soothed quietly. "It's all right."

He looked up at Sherlock and John with a serious look. "Take care of her," he murmured but the two men caught it clearly. "Of course." John replied just as quietly. Sherlock nodded. Neither could quite believe what they had just seen.

Ten minutes later and three cups of coffee later, Emi was sat in the only chair in the room albeit shakily. "I'm fine now," he mumbled, knowing it was no good. "It was just a shock, I didn't see it coming-"

"None of us did," Sherlock spoke quietly. "But we need to get home and stop this bastard before he kills someone else."

Suddenly, a new text message came through on the pink phone.

Sherlock hesitated for a moment before opening up the message and it's attachment. His eyes widened marginally before he reluctantly showed the other three the message. My own eyes widened. "It's my flat..." I spoke faintly.

In the centre of the newly renovated room sat a pair of shoes, looking brand new, with the message 'SEE YOU ALL SOON XX -M' painted on the wall behind it.

I shook my head in disbelief. "Only me and Mrs Hudson have the keys to the flat," I murmured. "How the hell did he get in?" Sherlock frowned. "Let's go."

* * *

Veeeeery long chapter! Sorry everyone but I hoped you enjoyed it!

Was that too graphic? Message me or review me answers please I'd like to know:)

Thanks everyone for reading!

BelieveInSherlock guys! x


	5. Chapter 5: Important Authors Note!

Hey guys! Sorry, I left you on a cruel cliff-hanger last chapter but I just want to bring some important things to your attention:

**I have a Facebook, Sherlock fan page****. I upload news about it, random pics I've found that make me laugh and other things. If anyone would be interested in becoming an Admin, would you Pm or leave a review please. I am a 15 year old female if that makes any difference. **

******You put your usual Facebook url then add**: /watchingsherlock

**Like it please! xx**

**I also, for some unknown reason, have also created an ask fm account if anyone has any questions or suggestions that they would like to make known anonymously. I understand that some people do not like to ask some things to a person when they have an 'identity' of sorts. **

**You put your usual ask fm url then add: /BelieveInSherlockMoriartyWasReal**

**I'd put in the full url but it won't let me!:( sorry guys!**

**Thanks for reading everyone!**

**BelieveInSherlock Guys! x**


	6. Chapter 6: Another Important Note!

Hello everyone! Sorry that this isn't a new chapter but I want you all to know something:

**I have Tumblr! **

If you can, I would love it if you could follow me, I'll be updating with possible excerpts and ideas and you can all tell me what you think!

**This is the link to the page: **

The name is **BelieveInSherlockHolmes**. The start of each new word is a capital don't forget!

Also feel free to ask me questions about the stories, I would be delighted to answer any queries:)

Have a nice day everyone! :) xx


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